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Here we welcome a free and open exchange of opinions and commentary on the public policy issues facing New Hampshire. Our mission is to raise new ideas and improve public policy debates in our state through quality information and analysis.

March 15, 2012

Keeping track of crime, city by city

The Nashua Telegraph today reports on a new interactive crime map they created in partnership with the Nashua Police Department. (Find the map here.)

According to the Telegraph:

"The map uses public information about reported crimes and displays information, which is updated daily from the Police Department’s computers. . . . When clicked on, each of the icons offers specifics about the (police) report, including case number, date and time of the report, the approximate address and description of the crime."

The cities of Manchester and Rochester have also partnered with the company behind the maps, Crimemapping.com. Keene has a similar map.

In January, the Center published the first comprehensive report of New Hampshire crime statistics in 20 years. The report (available here) provided city-level data as well as statewide trends in crime rates, with the goal of providing policymakers and law enforcement authorities with sound data upon which to base corrections and crime policy.

The new set of municipal maps are a further step in compiling and disseminating crime data on a local level.

Comments

Any consideration of the restrictions these mapping services place on the public and the press in terms of access and sharing?

Why are agencies paying for services that restrict access and limit the sharing of data -when the intent of the service is to get the data to the public?

With existing free technology and access to a table of crime data, most small newspapers and eight graders can map crime data. All the public needs is full open access. Crime maps are good and useful, but data transparency is much better.